Because of their status as part of a larger institution, academic libraries may choose to use their parent organization's mission statements, either in whole or in part.

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Because of their status as part of a larger institution, academic libraries may choose to use their parent organization's mission statements, either in whole or in part, when writing their own. This does two things: 1) ensures that the library is working toward the goals of the university, and 2) helps the university fulfill criteria for accreditation.

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As an example of the latter, the [http://www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org/ North Central Association's] first criteria for accreditation is concerned with the integrity of the university's mission, including that "understanding of and support for the mission pervade the organization." Further examples of how the library fits into the accreditation process can be found in the following:

Revision as of 11:51, 21 October 2007

Although the terminology can differ--mission statement, vision, focus, strategic planning--the idea is the same: to evaluate where your library is now and determine where you want it to be in the future.

Contents

In Academic Libraries

Because of their status as part of a larger institution, academic libraries may choose to use their parent organization's mission statements, either in whole or in part, when writing their own. This does two things: 1) ensures that the library is working toward the goals of the university, and 2) helps the university fulfill criteria for accreditation.

As an example of the latter, the North Central Association's first criteria for accreditation is concerned with the integrity of the university's mission, including that "understanding of and support for the mission pervade the organization." Further examples of how the library fits into the accreditation process can be found in the following:

Tools

Nelson, William Neal and Robert W. Fernekes. 2002. Standards and Assessment for Academic Libraries: A Workbook. ACRL: Chicago. (0838982115) Shows how to use mission statements in planning and assessment, as well as how to evaluate how library services, instruction, resources, access, staff, and facilities fit into the goals of the parent institution. Also contains appendices fitting ACRL standards to those of the various major US regional accrediting agencies.

ACRL's Standards and Guidelines for Libraries in Higher Education (approved June, 2004). From the forward: "These standards are intended to apply to libraries supporting academic programs at institutions of higher education. Earlier standards for libraries relied heavily upon resource and program 'inputs' such as financial support, space, materials and staff activities. These new standards continue to consider 'inputs,' but they also take into consideration 'outputs' and 'outcomes.'"

ACRL Standards and Guidelines pageincludes professional standards on faculty status, tenure, and collective bargaining, as well as guidelines for such things as lending special collections materials, information literacy instruction, and distance learning services.

Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools, covering career and technology programs in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Western Association of Schools and Colleges, covering career and technical schools, community and junior colleges, and senior colleges and universities inn California, Hawaii, the United States territories of Guam and American Samoa, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.